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task 3- thriller scenes

How does the location and use of lighting depict the emotional landscape of a character?

The film “No Country For Old Men” is directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen and was released on the 18th of January 2007. The film was located in New mexico and the production company is called Paramount vantage, Miramax films. More than 70% of the Audience stated they liked the film and the average rating for this film was 4/5 stars.

In the scene I have looked at the Audience is presented to an isolated landscape. Using a isolated area creates connotations of loneliness and vulnerable. As there is a high angle shot being used this suggests this is a little authority within the area. Also, the costume used for the character in the petrol station reflects this. The protagonists costume is light coloured which creates connotations of trust and purity about that character. However, the shop is dark coloured which creates a sense of mystery and also suggests towards the audience that the character does not fit that environment. After, the Antagonist enters the location but he contrasts the Protagonist completely as they are dressed in dark, black, dull clothing. This creates connotations of death, uncertainty and darkness. As he is dressed all in black this helps to create and add to the enigma. The contrast of colours between the two characters presented within this scene and the surroundings helps to demonstrate the sense of loneliness and isolation.

The women in black came out in 2012 on February the 10th and is directed by James Watkins. The main 2 stars in the film are Daniel Radcliffe and Janet McTeer. The rating of the film on IMDB is 6.4/10 and the age rating is a 12A. The budget was $17,000,000 (estimated) and one review States “Creepy and off-putting, The Woman in Black really is a terrific thriller. It’s intended to shock, and in many scenes it is successful. It’s a moody, psychologically scarring throwback to the old Roger Corman movies based on Edgar Allan Poe stories, with an amazing adult performance by Daniel Radcliffe as a young lawyer out of his depth. “

In the first scene it shows three young girls playing with a dolls set, there is a non-diegetic sound of charms playing a nursery rhyme while they are playing but, the rhyme has hints of spookiness towards it as it doesn’t sound happy and jolly like a typical nursery rhyme. Also, while the girls are playing, there is no speech which creates a sense of mystery towards the audience. As the scene progresses, the girls turn and look at something which the audience cannot see. As they turn the non-diegetic sound increases volume and more charms have been added but they are not in time creating to the audience a sense of fear. As the scene goes on, the girls get up and start walking, as they do they step on China dolls which is a diegetic sound which creates suspense towards the audience. The charm sound increases pace as the girls go towards the window, increasing the pace creates a feeling of panic. The girls jump out of the window and when they do the non-diegetic sound of the charms fades away and we hear a high pitch scream. The scream creates a feeling of anxiousness towards the audience as they will be intrigued now what will happen.

How are women presented in the scene? Consider stereotypical representations of the thriller genre such as femme fatale and the victim.

Single White Female is a 1992 American erotic thriller film. The film stars Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh and is directed by Barbet Schroeder. The rating of the film on IMBD is 6.3/10 and the age rating is an 18. Also, the production company is called Columbia Pictures Corporation. One review States “I saw this movie in theatre in 1992 and remember it being very entertaining and somewhat racy. Fourteen years later the film holds up well to the test of time. A major difference is in the level of nudity between this film and the thrillers of today”.

In the scene called “don’t make me leave you” The antagonist in the scene is meant to be portrayed to the audience as a psychopath as she wants to be the other girl. In this scene the antagonist ties up the Victim and then slaps her this shows dominance which defeats the stereotype that girls are presented the weaker sex as normally it is a man who is the antagonist. But, despite the antagonist defeating the stereotype she also represents the stereotype that all girls are crazy and want to be not who they are as she dresses up and cuts her hair to look like her. Halfway through the scene the antagonist goes into the kitchen and grabs a knife. She then puts it up to the protagonist’s neck, doing this presents women to be powerful and not to underestimate them.